Decorative ketupat cases for wholesale

AS Hari Raya approaches, Syaiful Miqdad once again become the unofficial ketupat weaver of Tomei, a wholesaler for artificial flowers, ribbons and decorative trimmings.

To date, the 41-year-old who has been working for this shop for seven years, has made no less than 600 ketupat cases from multi-coloured polypropylene ribbons to cater to consumer demand.

Syaiful: ‘Weaving a ketupat case is not a hard thing to master’

“Most customers buy them to decorate their homes and offices to give the place a Hari Raya feel,” said Syaiful.

Syaiful said that the ketupat cases have come to be a popular Hari Raya decoration, just like the Chinese mandarin is to Chinese New Year or the kolam is to Deepavali. He states his reasons.

“Weaving a ketupat case is not a hard thing to master. By observation alone, it would take an individual no more than two weeks to become an expert,” affirmed Syaiful who can weave a ketupat case in under a minute.

The second reason would be due to the availability of materials. In the olden days, ‘daun palas’ was used and this was easily found. In modern times, where ketupat cases are made of synthetic materials, it made things even easier for those who look for decorative trimmings.

And dwelling on the symbolic meaning behind this simple rice cake case, Syaiful said that the ketupat serves as a reminder that beauty can also be found in simplicity.

“Just look at the ketupat. It is but a simple wrapped up rice cake within a criss-cross of leaves, yet it is portable, long-lasting and sought by many. Symbolically, the weave also reminds one that there is strength in unity,” Syaiful said.

Here’s how you do it: Syaiful Miqdad of Tomei weaving a ketupat case into shape.

Syaiful recalled that the ketupat case had gained popularity as a decorative element for Hari Raya sometime around the middle of 1995.

“There are a few major elements to symbolise Hari Raya like the pelita and lemang but using such decorative themes often required cumbersome electrical arrangements. Then, someone must have realised that it would be the ketupat case which would be the easiest to make and showcase.

“So that must be when the shopping malls and complexes started incorporating the ketupat case into their Raya decorations,” said Syaiful.

Of course, when any handicraft work is concerned, colours play an important role as well.

Ready for the picking: Liza, Syaiful’s assistant on her way to hanging up the ketupat cases for display.

“The most common choice would fall on the green and yellow to remind one of the genuine ‘daun palas’ ketupat.

“But when it strikes my fancy, I’d use combinations like purple and yellow, pink and blue or green and red, just so that I’d have something striking,” said Syaiful.

So, does Syaiful see the ketupat losing its place as the Hari Raya icon as anytime soon?

“No, as long as there are people like me to ensure the preservation of its heritage,” was his firm reply.

The decorative ketupat at Tomei are priced at RM2.50 each for a big one and RM0.60 for the smaller version.

For a live demo, Tomei is at 2005, Malayan Mansion, Jalan Masjid India, 50100, KL. Tel: 03-26938880.